Despite latest setback, Winter sees hope for Toronto FC

TORONTO — Despite a third straight loss on Wednesday night, Toronto FC head coach Aron Winter said he was happy with the way his revamped team played in the face of some dramatic personnel changes.

The Reds trotted out five new players in the starting lineup for a 1-0 loss to visiting FC Dallas, including freshly minted Designated Players Danny Koevermans and Torsten Frings.

TFC also recently traded for midfielder/forward Ryan Johnson, midfielder Terry Dunfield and defender Andy Iro, and signed trailist defender and Guadeloupe national team players Eddy Viotar. Johnson, Iro and Viotar each got their first start for Toronto on Wednesday, as did Koevermans and Frings.

And it appears that Winter isn’t done yet.

“I'm still rebuilding the team,” he said. “I've done some trades in a couple of weeks and a couple of months. We're going to try to get some more players.”

Frings asserted his leadership from the start and will need a couple of games to get into top form. Koevermans also needs to get some minutes fast, considering that neither player has suited up since May.

“You could see that it's his first game,” Winter said of Koevermans. “He had some difficulties, but he's also done it well.”

Winter also praised his renovated back line.

“Much better. They were doing it well,” Winter said. “We start training Monday for the first time together, [Tuesday] was the second time, and you need some more games, and also more training to know each other well. But I was satisfied.”

Toronto return to action on Saturday at Sporting Kansas City.

“I was satisfied about some subtle moments in the game because we were playing well, we were playing football,” he said. “They need maybe one more game, more trainings, to get to know each other better, feel each other more and more better on the pitch. But I saw good things.”